It only ends once
by MelTheorist
Summary: "What a difference a day makes! 24 little hours..."  The story of a chase, and how it all may end, one day.
1. Chapter 1

Dedicated to my extraordinary ABC Castle Board family.

"How to know if you're in the love zone? All the plugs make sense... :)"

* * *

><p>All of a sudden, conscious returned. She opened her eyes but she couldn't see. She automatically started whispering "<em>Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change<em>", feeling returned to her arms but not to her hands "_Courage -..._" sweat ran down her face, or was it tears? "_Courage damn it!, to change the things I can_" she tugged at the rope that tied her hands behind the chair "_And wisdom-_" she smirked. The ropes were securely fastened around her ankles too. "_Wisdom is a notion that's up for debate today..._"

The lights came on, pointing directly at her face, leaving the rest of the room emerged in black.

"Who's there?" Kate yelled.

"Did ya learn that one from your ol' man?" a man's voice taunted.

Undeterred Kate looked in the direction where the voice came from. Unable to see her mocker, she asked "Who are you?" No reply. She tried again "My name is Kate Beckett and I am a NYPD Detective. Kidnapping a law officer is a federal offense, I suggest you - ..." Kate was cut off by her captor's bold laugh. Her eyes failing to pierce the darkness, all of her body kept in a tight state of alert.

"You suggest?", he paused and sighed. "See?, I find that sorta funny..." His footsteps broke the silence as they moved farther away "... because it seems to me that you've got that one assbackwards my dear."


	2. Chapter 2

::::::::::::: 24 hours earlier :::::::::::::

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The waiting room was pleasantly decorated. Nothing fancy. A black sofa, a corner table, some fresh white flowers. The interior of that 19th century brick building in Brooklyn had been renovated, keeping it's original traces. "_He must have a thing for classics too_." she smiled, thinking of Paul. She blushed as she imagined how she would say goodbye to him today. "_Is a hug too much?"_ She rolled her eyes and thought with a pinch of disappointment "_Can't go wrong with a handshake, Kate."_

Kate heard the sound of what she thought was Paul's heavy chair being dragged across the wooden floor. She heard the exit door open and close. Kate quickly arranged her blouse and twirled back her hair behind her ear. Her self criticism kicked in immediately "_This guy has seen you cry your heart out! You were a mess of hair and goo... One wrinkled shirt is not going to hurt your image."_

The door opened, the dark dressed man greeted her with an open smile that made his blue Irish eyes and voice scintillate in charm. "Good afternoon Kate. Ready for your last session?"

Kate got up slowly. She shyly turned her eyes momentarily away from his stare, "Ready, Dr. Weston."

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:::::::::: Abandoned warehouse :::::::::::

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Her hands were still clenched in fists since the man had laughed at her and left. Since then, it had been utter silence from her captors. The bright light was still on and occasionally Kate could hear muffled voices in the distance. She tried to make them out. One man, the one who had spoken to her. Two men, for sure. Maybe a third? Thoughts of Castle writing '_3__rd_ _cop'_ on the white board months ago invaded her mind. Her fists unclenched as from her lips a soft whisper slipped "_Castle!..._" The punch the thought of him gave to her stomach was enough to flood her eyes with tears. "_Focus Kate!_" she scolded, "_He's ok. He might be ok. The wound could just be superficial... but all that blood!..._"


	3. Chapter 3

:::::::::: Dr. Weston's office ::::::::::

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She sat in her usual spot on the couch, across from Paul. Leaning forward, with her forearms rested on her lap and grinning she said "So... Doc, you're finally getting rid of me."

Paul leaned back in his heavy black chair and crossed his leg. He took a while to respond, and read her body language. He stopped to think how he would miss that part of the therapy. "See, that's sort of funny because it seemed to me, all this time, that it was **you** that wanted to get rid of **me**..."

Kate nervously laughed and thought "_Seriously? You wont give me a break, even on my last day?" _She leaned back, opened her arms to posture confidence and said "Paul, c'mon?... I'm _ready_. You know I'm ready. All I need is your signature and I'm off desk duty and back on the field."

Paul, with worry, looked down upon his notes that lay on his lap and said "Kate, about that..."

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::::::::::::::::::: Abandoned warehouse ::::::::

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"Did ya miss us, Sundae Pie?" No reply. He hollered, "Hey, I'm talkin' to you muffin, hey!, sit up!" He poked at the body that was slumped on the floor. Still no reply.

He hurried inside and called out to his partner that stood in the doorway. "Yo man,... man... something's wrong!" He lifted the limp arm. It fell lifeless on the floor stained with fresh blood. "We may have ourselves a problem..."

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:::::::::::::::::::: Dr. Weston's office ::::::::::::

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Kate paced the room furious, trying to contain her strongest desire to send the pristine model boat sailing into Paul's diploma lined wall. "With all due respect doc, you have **no** idea what you're asking me to do."

"I'm not asking you to **do** anything Kate, and that's precisely my point. Now could you please sit down?" He motioned to the empty couch before him that was left vacant upon his delivery of what would have to happen in order for Kate to be fully reinstated at the 12th. She looked at him defiantly. As his polite demeanor did not falter, she conceded and sat. She ran her fingers through her hair and started again.

"Let me get this straight. You are saying that for you to sign that sheet of paper, I have to give up on my partner?"

"You partner Kate? Is that what you are?"

"You know that doc, why do we always have to come back to this?" She sighed and got up, dangerously eyeing the model sail ship Paul had on display. Her voice was tired, her arms limp. She turned towards the big window and crossed her arms defensively.

"Kate, you have suffered **severe** trauma, both physically and emotionally. You are still recovering. You might think that after today you are done with all this, but you're wrong. You have to take care of you."

"I take care of myself just fine doc. And Castle is no trouble." Kate tightened her folded arms.

"Well your Captain and I seem to disagree with you on that."

Kate irreverently opened her arms upwards, "So this whole 'drop Castle' was all her idea?"

"We believe that it is best for you start off with an actual cop as your partner. Castle is a civilian. You can't worry about him and take care of yourself."

"You know damn well Castle has... and more than once..." She stumbled to get the words out right. Sucker punched, again. She took a deep breath, and in effort said "Castle **saved** me. He saved me. You know that." What he said touched a nerve, and her right hand unconsciously touched the surgery scar on her chest.

Paul rested his head on his left hand and pungently asked "He saved you? Do you mean, he saved your life? That he prevented you from dying?"

Rattled, Kate took a step back "That's what I said."

Paul leaned forward "No Kate, you said he saved you. And I think it's important we understand what that means."


	4. Chapter 4

:::::::::: Abandoned warehouse ::::::::::::::::::

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The two men hurried into the room. They poked at the motionless body. Nothing. One of them took out his cellphone. He speed dialed a number and waited for the other side to pick up. He motioned to his partner, "Check if he's dead."

"Now how the hell am I supposed to do that?"

"Check his vitals, put a mirror to his nose or somethin'- Yo boss, we have a problem here. The guy bled out. - Not there fool, on his wrists! Do I have to draw you a picture?" He turns his back and continues "No boss, not you, I was talking..."

Untying the ropes to get a good feel of any pulse, the man mumbled "Yeah Dr.-I-watch-House-and-think-I'm-a-genius-'cuz-I-know-it-aint-no-Sarcoidosis..."

Once the ropes were no longer bounding his hands together, Castle surprised his captor with an upward jab to his nose that left him squirming on the floor, blinded and choking from his own blood. Castle lunged to retrieve the fallen man's gun from his waist holster, and readily pointed it at the man on the phone who had just swung around, completely taken back from the sudden commotion. Castle signaled to cut the conversation and with a threatening raise of his eyebrow and a finger on his lips, signaled him to not say a word to the other side.

"Uh Boss? Errr, ok, I gotta go now. Yeah we'll take care of it just fine. Ok." He turned off the phone and set it down on a stack of closed boxes. "So, fella... you wanna tell me what you want here? 'Cuz we can come to an agreement here... you know what I'm sayin'? I can.. -"

"You can shut the hell up and tie up your friend here."

"Ok, ok, nobody needs to get hurt here, alright?" The man looked at his friend, squirming and moaning undecipherable things on the floor. He grabbed the rope that had until recently confined Castle. He noticed the blood stain on Castle's flank "You won't last long bleeding like that." He tried to make his best pitch "Boy, you really gotta ask yourself here, do you feel lucky?"

Castle stared at the man. "Seriously?" He hesitated and lowered the gun for a moment "Seriously?" He resumed his aim and moved sideways to grab the man's cell phone from the boxes. "Just tie him up..." He squinted "..and it's_ ask yourself do __**I **__feel lucky! _You know you really shouldn't misquote one of the most famous cop lines in history when you have a writer-slash-cop-adviser pointing a gun at you. Oh and **you**..." he pointed the gun at the bleeding tied up man. "House?" Castle shook his head in disdain. "He's diagnostics. You should of gone with ER on **that** one... Oh!, and I won't even **begin** to tell you what a sundae actually means..."

While keeping his aim locked on the two men, Castle shrugged his shoulders and copied the last number dialed on the phone to a text that read _I'm hit, Kate's gone. The number is the boss' cell._ He typed Esposito's number, hit send and placed the phone in his pants' pocket. His hand returned covered in blood. He winced but stood firmly on task: Kate. He asked slowly, "Now tell me, where is she?"

"Hun, who? Oh, your girlfriend?" The first man mocked "Oh don't worry, she's fiiiiiine." He nodded mischievously, and with a mumble added "She truly **is** migh-ty fine..."

Castle instinctively struck the man's face with the butt of the gun, his elbow locked as he set aim to the man's head and with fire in his eyes, he repeated in a cavernous voice "Where. Is. She?"

The man spat the blood that had rapidly filled his mouth. He looked up and daringly spoke, "It doesn't matter **where** she is no more. You see,... Your girlfriend is** dead**."


	5. Chapter 5

:::::::::::::::::::: Dr. Weston's office ::::::::::

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Kate eyed her watch, her time was running out. She had spoken for seven minutes straight, covering all the main events of her relationship with Castle for the hundredth time, trying to explain what she meant by 'He saved me.' She looked up to see if Paul had finished the notes he was jotting down. _Yep, busted, he saw me eye the watch._

"We can arrange for another session if you are pressed with time Kate. I know you are very busy...-"

"Another session? Wait! This is supposed to be my last one. My reinstatement plan specifically stated 20 sessions. I don't understand what more you want from me..."

"Kate?... This isn't about what I want. It's what you want. Kate, what more do you want from yourself, from your -what did you call it? - partnership with Castle?"

"Paul, we went over this a million times!" Kate assumed a matter-of-fact tone "I was living my life through my mother's death, and that nearly got me killed. I pushed everyone away." She saw him scratching his head, he was not amused. She recoiled "I am aware of this and I have dealt with this in the past too and got over it. I'm over it, and I am stronger now."

"Stronger?"

"Yes, stronger." She lifted her head as she was struck with the memory of that session a month ago, the one Paul had labelled as a 'breakthrough'. She grinned as an eight year-old girl that knows the right answer to the teacher's question. "I have help now. I have people willing to take a stand with me. I don't have to do it all alone."

"You mean Castle?"

Kate frowned annoyed, why does he have to go there?, but nodded "Yes, Castle, Lanie, Esposito, Ryan and my father."

"But mainly Castle, right?" Noticing her annoyed frown he continued, pointing at his notes, although nothing of what he was saying was on there. "You've said so yourself Kate, Castle has been instrumental in the handling of your mother's murder case."

"Yes, that is true."

"Castle has been key in several other situations that arose in the field. Castle **saved** you.

"Yet you want to get rid of him"

"No, getting rid of him is not what we're talking about. We're talking about how you can't let go. See, he's done all that, yet you want even more, you want him to continue shadowing you, to follow you around daily. Am I wrong with this statement, Kate?"

Kate hesitated and wondered where was he going with this, "No, you are not wrong."

"Are you not capable of doing your job without him?" He paused and took on a concerned tone "Explain this to me, because I am lost here. Why do you need him, Kate? Why would you need him?" He leaned forward, trying to act calmly. _Would she break now?_ He thought? _What will it take to break her? _He decided to play the cards on the table. "I am offering your job back, the thing you said and I quote, was the only thing missing from your life, yet instead of jumping at the chance that is being given to you by your superior and your therapist, you are challenging our recommendation. Why?"

"You're not understanding me."

"Why?" Paul insisted.

"Why? No you tell me this, why do you and the Captain want to break us up?" Kate outburst.

Paul remained silent to let her words sink. Her wide eyes flinching as she replayed that line in her mind. Paul fought the urge to use the stereotypical shrink catchphrase but he knew he had no choice other than to use it. "And how does that make -"

"Me feel?" She bit her lower lip and looked away. She squinted her nose and closed her eyes. "I swear doc..." She shook her head and whispered to herself '_grant me the serenity to accept...'_, she clenched her fists and said "Don't make me choose."

"Choose Kate? I am asking you how would it make you feel if you two 'broke up'? How would it feel to lose Castle as your partner?"

"Don't make me choose..." She looked up at him, wholeheartedly, "Please."


	6. Chapter 6

::::::::::::::::: Abandoned warehouse ::::::::::

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Kate heard random phrases hollered from nearby. It sounded as if she was listening to a one way conversation. _Phone!_, she deducted. _So there are more accomplices. Great!_ She rotated her wrists around to the great discomfort of her already raw skin. _It is looser._, she tried to convince herself. She slumped down, trying to give some rest to her eyes shot with the relentless beam of white light. As she lowered her torso in the chair, she noticed a crooked screw under the seat. It had been screwed on to repair the seat, but it was too big so a third of it was stuck out. She began to rub the rope on the head of the screw. "_Finally, we are moving that damn rubber tree plant."_

As the rope began to give way, Kate's heart began to pound. _Then what?_ Was she being watched? _Is he looking at me? Is he still laughing at me_? Kate angrily tugged at the rope and it tore. She held her hands back in the same position. She waited for a consequence. Anything.

Nothing happened. She rapidly began to untie her feet and, with her first act of freedom, she stepped forward. With one blow, Kate whacked the light projector down and smiled as she heard the bulb shatter into pieces.

…...

First the he heard the crashing noise. Then, he saw the light go out. She had freed herself, somehow, and he knew it. He raised his silver flask up and before taking a sip of the alcoholic content, he made a toast "Here's to making a stand!"

He reached for his gun and ammo and uttered beneath his breath "Well Roy, you trained her well..." He nodded in admiration of the challenge that was now before him and added "...and it's a shame you're not here to see this go down."

…...

Castle squinted and swore he heard a distant sound. Silence. He looked down as moans arose from the two gagged and tied men. He had to make his next move. He was startled as the cellphone began to vibrate, the caller's number was the last number dialed. Castle stared at the phone. He studied his options and then answered the phone with a muffled "Yo...?"

"She's loose." He smirked, "Boys..., we've got ourselves a good deer hunt. I need you guys down here now."

Castle's heart jumped. _Kate? She's ok! Down here? Where?_ He winced and replied "Ok, on it." and hung up. He let the phone drop and waved his hands in despair. _What the hell did I just do?_ The phone vibrated again. _Shiii shiii shiiii, did he tell it was me? _Castle picked the phone up and took a deep breath as he recognized the number. He answered with a loud whisper "Ryan! Where the hell are you guys?"

"We're tracking your phone, don't hang up. We're on our way. Are you ok?

"Yes I'm fine." he lied. "Did you get my text? Can you trace that number I sent you?"

"Yes, we've got it." Ryan walked towards Esposito who was inside the back of the parked van, on his phone. "We're tracing it as we speak. Castle, you said you were hit. How bad?"

"I'm ok" he lied again "Listen Ryan, this is very important, you've got to trace that number. The guy has Kate. He just told me he's hunting Kate down."

"Got it" Esposito got off his phone and turned to Ryan "We got the SOBs! Warehouse on 508 Kentile Road, South Plainfield."

Castle overheard the exchange and spoke in a sober tone "Ryan, no matter what, you've got to get to her first."

Ryan's eyes widened as he stood shocked with his sudden realization. He cleared his throat and replied while staring at Espo, "Castle, the number you gave us... he just called you, right? The call came from **inside** the building. You are in a warehouse in NJ. Who ever is behind all this is in the same warehouse as you."

Castle's mind swirled between the fact that Kate was close by and that everyone seemed to be coming down with a case of terrible timing for popular movie quotes. He finally responded in a dry and final "I'll find her." He swallowed the lump in his throat "Ryan? If..." he hesitated "... tell Alexis -"

"Say no more partner. We got you on this, you hear me Castle? We're on our way."

"Hurry."

…...

The warehouse had been used only sporadically for nearly three years. What once was a storage facility for hardware equipment and tools, was now serving as a come-what-may warehouse for the front shipping company allusively called AM&Co. From not so legal imports to tax evasive exports, the occasional ruffling up of uncooperative 'business associates' to the execution of cooperative 'assets' that had outlived their purpose, those walls had seen it all.

The armed dark man carried no remorse as he scouted the ground floor, looking for Kate. Usually, he had no part taking in such actions aside from giving the ultimate call: live or die. A simple decision really, the kind that escaped the more common and convoluted decisions he dealt with in his official job. Mundane mortal decisions. Whereas with "Lives or dies" he played god, and he savored every minute of it.

_This time it is different_, he thought. His hand around the gun felt good. A reminder of days spent in the shooting range. People had then teased, _are you really that bored with your desk job? _He long had realized that he was destined for greater things. Things that demanded the ability to hold control over the will of others. First, he started with a gun. Then, it was a numbers game. You talk to enough people something usually shakes out. Isn't that what he had been taught? His break finally happened on that overworked evening, by the old xerox machine. Then and there, he understood the power and potential of information.

_This time it is definitely different_, he repeated to the sound of his heartbeat beating in his ears. He had long decided that he was going to pull the trigger that night, ending this for once and for all. It was the least he could do for all the effort Kate had put in. It was a matter of principle. He hadn't entertained the idea of how it would go down, but knew he first had to find out where the damn files were.

Now, in pursuit of her, he couldn't help but wonder if he was having a taste of the infamous 'hand of god' that Roy had mentioned all those years ago. In those days, a phone call had been placed to Roy Montgomery's office.

"I've heard you've got yourself a heck of a rookie Roy... talk about poetic justice, hun?"

"Always a displeasure to hear your voice." He answered, moving quickly to close the office door. "What the hell do you want?"

"Will she be a problem Roy?"

Montgomery responded as dry as he could manage "No."

"Are you sure?..." He paused, and in a sweetened threat added "By the way, I saw Evelyn the other day. She looked nice. You have always had good taste, my friend..."

Roy tried but he couldn't ignore the last comment. His mouth twitched and he stated with all the authority we could scrape up "I am sure, - Sure you have as much to lose as I do, so why don't you let me worry about my men and you go and focus on your election this year?"

The man had conceded to let Roy 'handle it'. A reminder once and a while was enough to keep Miss Beckett at bay. Then one night, what were the odds? Ms. Katherine Beckett walks into the ballroom with a glamorous red dress, arm in arm with the writer, surrounded by flashes from the photographers. _She looks just like her mother_, he remembered having thought as he made his way around the room and managed to shake her hand. He had felt tempted to tell her just that, but remained silent as he observed her every move. _It would be a shame to have to order her killed_, he thought as he sipped his champagne. _And what about this writer guy?_ Roy had guaranteed that he'd be a good distraction for Kate to get over the pursuit of the person responsible for her mother's death. _Yet, you are so close my darling_, he malevolently grinned, _I am right here_.

…...

_Where the hell am I? _Kate wondered, as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Crates lay in the open spaces of the main floor. Reminiscent tools were scattered. All vacant surfaces were covered with a solid coat of dust. Most of the hanging ceiling lights had been dismantled. The air was dense, with the putrid smell of decay. Kate scrambled to take cover far from where she had been bound, and thought '_Hell of a place for a final stand'. _She struggled with some shortness of breath. One deep breath would be enough to sooth her, but the echoes of her pursuer's footsteps kept her heart racing. _He's coming after me._ All her chances of survival depended on her remaining hidden until she came up with a plan to get the hell out of there.

Unarmed and without sense of direction, Kate looked up at the first floor and scanned her surroundings for anything she could use as a weapon, any way she could gain access to the overhead walkway so she could visualize an exit. Her empty hands felt useless. _Where are the champagne bottles when you need'em, right Castle?_ she thought with great yearning. She tightly closed her eyes and wishfully thought, _I need you._

Her eyes were pried wide open with the sudden BAM! that resembled a gun being shot. The kind of shot cops say that you only hear, because you never see the bullet that has your name on it. No familiar piercing pain ran through her body. She exhaled. She realized that the remaining ceiling lights had been turned on with the flip of an old switch, that resounded tremendously in the empty large room. Kate studied her options. Being scared couldn't be one of them. _I really could use one of your crazy ideas right about now_...


	7. Chapter 7

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Castle sprung around. _Door? Move. Now_. He left the room and locked the door behind him. He realized that he was exiting one of four separate garages to an open parking lot. Ahead stood the warehouse. He hesitated. _Would she be in there or held in a garage as well? _A slight rush of panic overflowed his body. _Focus Castle!_, he heard her voice say in his head. It was imprinted in his mind, as her touch was imprinted on his skin. He looked at the tire marks left in the dirt. Two cars, the ones that had ambushed them and fired into Castle's town car. Those cars were the last thing he remembered seeing before he was hit. He applied pressure on his wound. He refused to look at it, to recognize it as real. He convinced himself he was glad it had stopped bleeding. He was fine. One trail stopped right there. Drops of blood followed into the garage. The other set of tire tracks pulled over closer to the main building. He decided she was in there. The man on the phone had said he needed help finding her. _It made sense_, he nodded. As he made his way across the yard running, his eyes frenetically tried to see if there was also a trail of Kate's blood. He had only heard her scream to get down. His heart begged his eyes not to find blood. He didn't. He shook his head and tried to shake the thought of Kate bleeding, of Kate hurt. Again. _This time it is different_, he thought as he approached an entrance to the building, this time he had the gun in his hand and it felt good.

He looked at the heavy door and feared the noise it would make if opened. in spite his best efforts it made a wrenching sound. _This guy's expecting his men. Just go for it_,. He pulled with his right arm, feeling the tug at his wound. _Great. Just go on._ Castle entered a small front office space, he was just following the hall into the main cargo area when he heard The Sound. Compounded memories surfaced of that same sound yanking him from his sleep, in an uproar of screams and sweat. Not a week went by without it making an appearance in his nightmares. Flashes of the glare behind the tombstone. Kate's blood. His eyes adjusted to the sudden flow of the overhead lights. _No bullet, lights._

He heard the man's voice cut the surprisingly short distance between them "Glad you guys decided to join the party. "

_He heard me come in, but thinks it's his own men,_ Castle thought. He hid behind the steel staircase to the over head walkway. Castle had to see before being seen.

"Light is a funny thing you know." The man continued his speech, intending to be heard by Kate. "You go a long time without it and bugs and rodents just assume that they are free to roam. You turn it on, and you can hear the arrogant fools SCATTER for cover." His footsteps stopped. He was listening. He continued his rattle after kicking a pile of boxes down. His voice bared a slight disappointment "You see, they can only hide in the places they can find darkness. So, light is funny that way. It does half of my work for me."

Castle focused on the sound of footsteps. _How close is this guy and how do I turn those damn lights off._


	8. Chapter 8

:::::::::::::::: Exterior Dr. Weston's office, Brooklyn :::::::::::::

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Kate stormed out of the office. _Hell of a time to make my final stand_. She stared out into the street. She wasn't quite sure where to go, what path to take. She couldn't go to the 12th, she couldn't go home. _Not feeling like this._..

"Time's up Kate." Paul had said moments earlier "You have got to come to a conclusion here. Don't waste another minute..."

And Kate had, she definitely had come to a conclusion. _It's over!, _she thought. Grabbing her phone, she speed dialed Castle. His phone was turned off. _Odd. _She tried again, insisting before her courage would escape her, before the words spoken in the office above wore off and returned her to the State of Indecision, Area Code I-don't-know-what-we-are. _Paul had played a tough but good game. He had deserved that win, s_he conceded, even if she didn't quite understand just yet exactly how she had lost.

Kate's phone rang. Caught up in her thoughts she answered "Castle?" without noticing the caller's id.

"Yo, it's me." Espo said. "Do you know were Castle is?"  
>A cloud covered the late autumn sun, and she began to shiver. "No"<br>"No one's seen him since yesterday. Alexis and Martha are doing a spa thing and he hasn't checked in with them either."  
>"I just tried to call him, but his phone is off." Kate began to worry. <em>He never does that.<em>  
>"We're are keeping things quite here, yo'know, on a low key with the Captain, but we think something's wrong..." He hesitated before relaying the information he had. He fell back on his professional tone and deliverance to aid hm through this. "Joey down at archives has Castle getting a file late last night when no one was here. It cost me two tickets to the next Knicks game but they've tracked it down from the logs."<br>"And?" Kate's detective mode kicked in, and she pushed the overflow of feelings aside. Again.  
>"The files are from a missing woman's case, one Adriana LaCerva. She had ties with the Gandolfini family and disappeared around the time of the kidnappings..." He shook his head and pressed his lips. Anything that had to do with his Captain's – yes, Montgomery would always be 'his Captain' – lesser than noble actions still rippled inside him with the force of a tidal wave.<br>Kate's eyes widened. What does Caste want with that file? She managed to answer "Many people disappear in NY, what does that have to do with Castle?"  
>Esposito looked over to Ryan who sat at his desk hating every thing about this situation with every bone in his body. He encouraged Espo with a somber tone "Tell her everything. She needs to know."<br>Esposito bit his lower lip, tilted his head up to physically help the words come out "The same file had been requested by one Johanna Beckett." He dropped the professional tone "Your mom asked for the same file a week before she died."

Kate gasped for air. She felt struck by the only force she had ever known capable to leave her body empty of feeling, her face flushed and her voice lost. Even the sniper's bullet that day paled in comparison to that day Officer Raglan stood at her door.

Kate ran her hands through her hair, as she stared out onto the same street that was until recently filled with possibilities and hope. She spoke in a lowered voice "Ok, I want you guys to trace his phone-"  
>"- he turned it off, it's off the grid"<br>"I think I know someone who can help. I'll call you back." Kate hung up and searched her phone for Agent Eric Fallon's direct number. She took a deep breath as the phone rang. "Agent Fallon, this is Detective Kate Beckett from the NYPD, badge number – ." She faintly smiled as he had recognized her. She stared out into the street again. At least now she knew what path she was taking: find Castle. Determined, she said "I need a favor..."

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::::::::::::::: Surveillance Van, I-95S :::::::::::::::::::::

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This whole situation was too familiar for Esposito and Ryan. At that time, they were the ones inside a warehouse. Now, it was time to repay Kate and Castle the favor.

Word had got out fast through the media. All the major tabloids relayed that late morning's tragic events. _Famous writer's car raided with bullets. 'Nikki Heat' muse also missing. Driver executed._ The Captain had pulled them aside and immediately assigned them as leads on the case.

Gates had said "We'll talk about you guys hiding Castle's covert operation later." She paused for effect, then leaned in closer to them, her voice lowered as she pointed to them "No one wants this as bad as you two." She stepped back and put her hands at her hips. Her jaw was locked, her voice revealed her anger "These are my people. **No one**... touches my people." and in a cavernous voice she added "Go give them hell." Captain 'Iron Gates' had never sounded so dead serious, she had never showed them so much trust. Ryan couldn't help but stand there for a while, taking in some of her lioness stance. Esposito felt a touch of new found admiration for the woman.

A task force was already on stand-by and the surveillance van was set to go when they got Castle's text message. Now on their way to the warehouse, they were sharing their game plan via radio, when Officer Carmichael signaled them that there was another incoming call.

Ryan placed the headphones and answered "Pass it through Chuck..."

"Helloooo boys..." The familiar voice greeted in it's usual melodic tone. It continued "It has come to my attention that you might be needing some help, and I've got just the right toys that need to be used..."

Ryan was appalled. "Agent Shaw? How -"

"We'll catch up on ol'times later, detective" she interrupted, keeping her tone short but sweet "I just wanted to let you know that we're on our way too. Our teams shall assemble at Belmont Avenue and Metuchen Road." The positivity in her voice was contagious "Let's go get our favorite unorthodox partners, and after we'll all go out for ice cream."


	9. Chapter 9

:::::::::::::::::::::::::: Solace Hotel, NJ :::::::::::::::::::::

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One heavyhearted Richard Castle entered the hotel though the main entrance. His high hopes had sunk much like the sun in that day's sky. The LaCerva lead seemed like another dead end. She was dead. Really _really_ dead. From the interviews he conducted all day he had learned of the funeral with an open caskett. _Can't go wrong with an open and honest caskett, right? _He was too tired to eat in the restaurant, he would order room service. First, he requested to use the courtesy phone in the lobby. As the phone rang, he looked through his wallet to see if he had enough cash, since he was avoiding any traces of a credit card bill.

"Hello" she answered.

Castle heard background noises. The child was asking her mother for attention. "Jordan, it's me. Am I interrupting?"

"Wait a sec" she covered the phone with her hand, and only muffled sounds of the soft exchange could be heard until she uncovered the mic " – you're right sweetheart! Momma's literally slaying dragons." Her voice hardened "Sorry Rick. So, what d'ya find out?"

Castle relayed all the information he had retrieved. After disappearing for two years, Adriana had resurfaced and committed all the mistakes a person with a 'death sentence' could. She paid the price of her indiscretion.

Minutes later, Castle hung up the phone. Adriana had stayed with a cousin near Chicago. It was worth looking in to. _Another day, _he thought as he entered the elevator and pressed his floor's button. As he walked towards his room he wondered how Kate's last therapy session went today. _I should call her when I get back into the city tomorrow, _he decided as he fumbled with his card key and dropped it. As he bent over to pick it up, he noticed beneath the door that the light was on inside his room. _Odd, I didn't turn on any lights._ Before he knew it, a shadow passed in front of the door and he heard a scuffling noise and a deaf thud inside. He hesitated but decided to open the door and confront his intruder. Castle opened the door swiftly. He saw her there, sitting on the floor with her back leaning up against the bed, holding her badge.

Castle's jaw dropped, "Kate?" _How the hell did she find me? _

...

Kate's eyes were swollen. It had been a few hours since Agent Fallon had turned Castle's cell back on and traced his location. Soon after that, Esposito had narrowed Castle's probably next move down by cross referencing his location with the copy of LaCerva's file. It wasn't too long until they got a hit for a Mr. Harry Alakazam at the nearby Solace Hotel. Access to the room was a President Grant and a charming smile away. All followed so tightly and fast paced that it was only there, in the solitude of Castle's room and in the company of his travel bag that Kate let herself feel.

She thought of how that day had started. Paul's test had worked, it was only a test, but she figured out what mattered most. The promise of normality. The hope of a new found courage to tell Castle what he meant to her. Kate's eyes remained heavy on her badge as she twirled it in her hands. "You wanna know what I did today?" she laughed nervously as she mocked "You won't believe what **I** did today..."

Rick stood in the entrance to the room. Kate looked so small, just... sitting... there. He was paralyzed by what her being there meant. _She found out about the files._

She continued, raising her eyes and the badge up to him "I gave this up today..." she lowered her eyes, for she couldn't look at him any longer. She stared back at the badge "...for you." in a sad whisper she added "For us."

All Castle could manage was an exhaling "Kate!..."

"Close the door Castle" Her voice was dry.

Castle conceded, turning his back to her and closing his eyes. All of his movements were slow, as he used every millisecond away from the sight of her hurting eyes to regroup, to collect his ideas, his reasons. _I had reasons, good reasons!_, he reassured himself.

Castle spoke for several minutes straight, covering all the main events of his solo efforts to figure out who was responsible for Johanna's death. Castle concluded, "You're mad now and fine, I get it. But I did what I **had** to do to protect you Kate. I can not apologize for that."

"Castle, it's **my mom**!..." she repeated.

Castle moved closely towards her. With honest concern in his voice, he asked "Kate, you've got to ask yourself what's matters the most here? Is it worth it to fight me on this? Do you really want to 'win' this argument?" He stood inches from her "Cause the way I see it, if you 'win', we 'lose'..."

Kate's eyes glazed over. She had listened all throughout Castle's narration, trying so hard to focus on the new details of her mother's case, trying to understand what he meant by 'I wanted to protect you', trying to fight the irrational feelings of betrayal that had settled in her heart hours ago. She finally sat down on the bed and held her head in her hands. She managed to ask "So what did Agent Shaw say would be our next move?"

"Hun?.." Castle was taken back by her question. _No fight? No 'Castle, we're over'?_

Without looking up, she said with a tired sigh "Rick..., I can't fight you anymore." She ran her fingers through her hair and locked her elbows decisively. "I don't want to fight you anymore. So what's our next move?"

Castle finally noticed the pronoun she used. He made his position clear "Kate, you're not getting involved in this again. We are handling this -"

"The hell you are!" She threw. Resuming sole authority over her mother's case wasn't essential, it had been a tiresome effort but she had learned to accept that she was not alone..., but to not be included would be unbearable. Impossible! "Castle, you can't possibly keep me off this. I am your partner." She rose from the bed and, with her usual exceeding confidence, leaned into him "I know we can win this... together."

Castle felt Kate's insistence from her warm breath. Undoubtedly she would prevail. He recalled, _she never backs down, and that's what makes her-_... His eyes couldn't hide his excitement for having her back_._ He looked down into her eyes and confessed in a whisper "I'm so relieved that you know."

"Don't lie to me again, Rick... please!" She inched towards his mouth and placed her hands on his chest "I can't do this anymore if I can't trust you." She lightly brushed her lips upon his.

_"- extraordinary!",_ he concluded with a gasp. His hands reached to grab her waist and pull her near. "Never again..." he softly replied.

Kate stepped back and leaned as far away from his grasp as the distance between him and the bed would allow. She inquired again "Never?" The wrinkle on her forehead was a tell of a worry that still lingered.

_She needs reassurance, _Castle thought. He grinned mischievously, and shot "Beckett... zip it– " then pointing to her leather jacket "–and unzip that..." Castle decisively pulled Kate by the waist, and wrapped his right hand around her head. He paused to imprint the image of her rendition in his mind, the smell of Kate's skin as she yielded to him. Before diving into her mouth, he exhaled "and focus!"


	10. Chapter 10

:::::::::::::::::::::::::: Solace Hotel, NJ :::::::::::::::::::::

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(...)

Castle only woke up once that night. What used to be a terrifying jolt in the middle of the night was replaced by the sweet scent of Kate's head, resting on his pillow. _A pillow-hogger, I see..._ he grinned, folding his arm underneath his head to replace his lost pillow. He took a deep breath, taking in all of that night's caresses and scents that still lingered on their skin and on the sheets. Castle stared amazed at the sight of her sleeping. In all those passionate encounters of the recent month, they had never spent the whole night together, having taken turns in exiting each other's apartment in the early hours of the morning. He closed his eyes and found his way back to slumber, accompanied by the thought that he truly could get used to this.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::: Solace Hotel, NJ :::::::::::::::::::::

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(Morning)

"Housekeeping!" She shouted as she pushed the door open and a shot of the hall's light pieced through the room, landing on Castle's face.

They groaned at the violent awakening, scrambling for the sheets to cover their naked bodies.

Castle turned too much, too fast, and sent himself tumbling over the edge of the bed. He stumbled to regain his footing. Shielding his eyes with his hands, he shouted "I'm up, I'm up, I'm... up!"

The hotel housekeeper was startled by the commotion. In a mix of annoyance for yet another couple sleeping in late and forgetting to place the 'Do not disturb' sign on the door, and a sincere appreciation for the naked manhood exposed before her, she replied "Errrrr, sir! Yes, you **are** up."

Kate, sure that her blushed face was able to glow in the dark, kept her face turned away from the door. She handed Castle a pillow "Rick! Here!"

Castle took the pillow and held it below his belly with both hands, squinting to protect his eyes. He gave the housekeeper his best boys-will-be-naughty-boys smile and said "We'll check out in an hour?..."

Without taking her eyes off him the housekeeper clumsily removed the 'Do not disturb' sign from the back handle of the door and placed it on the front handle, nodding her head "No problem, sir" and as she closed the door, she mumbled beneath her breath "Glad I could check _you_ out...".

Castle exhaled loudly, and let his body drop and sit on the bed.

Kate slid across the bed, scoldingly saying "Richard... you are **up**?"

Castle looked over his shoulder slyly, "Why Katherine Beckett..."

She let one of her grandiose laughters out and hit him with the remaining pillow. "We should go." Kate turned to the night stand where she had placed her phone. She had several missed calls from the 12th and a text from Esposito: _R U OK? I'll kick his a$$. Say the word. U know I can bring on the pain. _After letting them know that she was at the hotel, she had forgotten to check back with them.

"Not the way I dreamt waking up with you..." Castle sighed and got up to search for his clothes.

Kate turned to look at said rear. _I took care of the kicking..._, she typed, _we're good._, and hit send. "I'll hit the shower first. We should call a cab and head back into the city." She entered the bathroom and left the door semi open.

Castle frowned disappointed "First?" he shook his head "Absolutely **not** the way I dreamt of it." He picked up the room phone and asked for the concierge to arrange for a town car. "Yes, Black Pawn Company is fine."

Kate's shouted from the bathroom "Ask for coffee!"

Castle's attention was drawn to the steam exiting the bathroom. Clearly distracted he continued "Coffee can be provided right? Yes, credit card is fine, the number is …..." he grabbed his wallet and relayed the numbers.

Kate's head popped through the door "Rick!, you coming?"

Castle gasped and dropped the wallet and the phone, skipping into the bathroom.

(continued; exterior Solace Hotel, NJ)

When the Black Pawn town car arrived, Rick and Kate were already downstairs. The driver held the door open for them and pointed them to their coffees. Kate eagerly entered the car, letting her body melt against the black leather seats as the warm coffee poured into her.

Castle smiled at the sight of her physical display of pleasure and commented "It's nice not to drive all the time, isn't it?"

Kate shrugged his tease off, took a deep breath and reached for his hand. She leaned her head back on the seat and closed her eyes. In a few hours she would have to resume her place at the 12th, catch up on the new cases and find the time to look into the leads in her mother's case. But right now, all she wanted was to enjoy the ride.

Castle took a sip of his coffee and looked out the window. Her hand in his was cold from that late morning's chilly air, but it was starting to warming up. It felt good. It felt right. "Are you sure you want to tell everyone?" he was surprised he had managed to say that out loud.

Kate remembered the final words in Paul's office. "We can't waste anymore time."

"Never again." Castle replied.

Kate imitated him, "Never?" She pulled her legs up to the back seat to sit facing him. She teased "Is that your new word now?"

Castle smiled all smug and playfully turned to her and said "Why, haven't you heard? 'Never' is the new 'Always'!"

Kate rolled her eyes, smiling ironically "I see... Always got old for you fast..."

"You know, being the wordsmith that I am and all..." he joked, "I have an obligation to mix things up a bit, you know, and with a woman like you? Can't risk you _ever_ being bored..."

Kate gave his hand a playful squeeze, and thought _Bored is a word that doesn't exist in the Richard Castle dojo_.

Castle looked out the side window in time to notice the black car with tinted windows passing them in a hurry. His stomach suddenly felt uneasy, his voice slowed down as he concluded "... and we could even make it a call and response: when one says _never_, the other says _ever_..."

Kate didn't have time for her quirky remark on how corny she thought that was, for the car came to a sudden halt, sending her body that was sitting sideways sliding to the floor. Her torso violently hit the front seat as a rampage of bullets flew into the car, shattering the front window. "Get down!", Kate instinctively screamed.

Castle was instantly hit by falling glass and shards of metal. Pieces of the front seat's upholstery filled the air and stuck to his mouth as he lunged to cover Kate's body with his.

Kate heard the shots stop and the footsteps approaching. She heard them open both of the left car doors and fire a round into the moaning wounded driver. She felt them lift Castle's body from on top of her and stared in shock of the sight of the growing stain of blood on his navy blue shirt. Kate saw that his eyes were closed. "Rick...!" she was overcome with the thought of losing him. _Paul was right. I can't lose him_.

"You can't expect to stir the waters and not draw some attention..." Kate heard a male voice behind her taunt. The back right door was opened, sending pieces of glass falling down upon her face. "Getting government agencies involved was presumptuous. Paying with a credit card? Downright stupid..." Before she was able to turn to face him, the sweet scent of chloroform filled her lungs and all was dark.


	11. Chapter 11

::::::::::::::::::::Abandoned warehouse::::::::::

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The pursuer was right, the lights made finding her easier. Kate's heart pounded when she heard the boxes come crashing down. His comment on guys joining him hit her like a punch in the stomach. _They are coming for me. _She crouched down and reached for the crowbar she had spotted earlier. She stretched her arm as far as she could, only managing to touch it's metal surface with the tips of her fingers. Only half of her arm was covered in shadows, and Kate knew one slip would be enough to cause the metal bar to make her location well known. She had no other choice. The crowbar slid across the edge of the table it lay upon and dangerously wobbled in her grasp. Kate held her breath. She managed to grip it tightly and it only scratched the leg of the table. She looked up, waiting for a response. _Nothing_. She pulled the crowbar near to her and stood as tall as the stack of crates she hid behind. _Now what?_ she questioned. At least her hands were no longer empty and that gave her some assurance.

Castle waited and through the metal crisscrosses of the stairs he finally saw him. _Dirtbag_, he quoted Montgomery and pressed his lips, exasperated. Castle noticed his professional hold on the gun, he saw as the light caught the back of his head. Castle gripped his gun tightly and measured the man up. Late 50s early 60s, in good shape, 5'8,... smiling. _He is enjoying this!_ Castle decided to make his move, pointing the gun with his right hand through the opening in the metal stairs, closing one eye for aim. In that instant, the man's movement evaded the frame of his shot. Castle punished himself for the hesitation, and swallowed the lump that had lodged in his throat. He looked around for access to a better angle, one that would eventually provide him with cover as well. That's when he noticed the big light switch on the wall. It was a clear path, with nothing to hide behind but he knew it was Kate's best hope. Who was to say that Castle would find the man before he found her? He needed some distraction, something that would keep the man's attention elsewhere while he made a run for it.

He looked down at his left side, the blood had stopped and the pain was subsided by the adrenalin. He felt uneasy as his blood pressure dropped. It had been almost a day since he last ate. He looked again at the distant target, the light switch. _How fast can I make it there?_

Kate heard footsteps grow nearer. With both hands she defensively held the crowbar up. If he was aiming, holding the gun outwards, there might be a chance that she could see the gun first and take a swing at it. Suddenly, above her, she heard the crackling sound.

The overhead pass was crumbling under the man's weight. He too had thought of gaining the advantage of a risen point of view, and had started his way up the stairs when the rusty structure threatened to collapse. He hesitated and was deciding if he should continue upwards or not.

As Kate swung around, she let the crowbar slide out of her hands. It went flying off to where the crackling sound had come from and hitting all objects it encountered on it's way before finding the floor. This set off an array of bullets shot by the man. He turned to go down the stairs, flooded by the excitement of the chase. He was surprised to hear someone run in the opposite side of the room.

Castle was startled by the sudden events but quickly convinced himself it was the perfect distraction he was asking for. Holding the gun firmly in one hand, he ran to the wall and pulled the switch down. Once he did, the warehouse was submerged in black again, and the sparks of bullets fired in his direction, glowed in the dark. He instinctively fired back, aimlessly and took cover. _Sooo stupid!_ he condemned, as with this action he had given away his cover.

The man was momentarily stunned as he himself was being shot at. He shielded his body behind a pillar. Someone had fired back at him, and Kate didn't have a gun. He called out "Bobby, you there?" Silence. "Knock on something if you're there Bobby"

Castle hesitated. _Can I still keep him believing I'm one of his men? Or was this a trick?_ Either way, any noise would give away his position.

Kate listened carefully. Two distinct guns had been fired. The lights had been turned off. _Castle?_ she hoped. She started to fear that she would never see him again. _Never?_ She sorrowfully smiled. _Ever_, she answered herself. _It wasn't corny after all._ She needed a chance to tell him. To tell him everything. A chance to say that they had a real chance.

"Bobby?" the man repeated.

"Keep on talking, SOB...", Castle mumbled quietly as he gazed from under the table he had slid beneath. He adjusted his eyes to the absence of light. _I can hunt too..._

_Writer guy!_, the man thought as he twitched his nose, infuriated. He rethought his strategy. If he could find Ms. Beckett he could hold her hostage. He had to make her out herself, and fast. He focused on her, and kept his head low.

He called out "She wasn't supposed to die you know?" He paused for effect. "But she brought it on herself." He lifted his eyes and, with help of the risen moon that begun to pour light through the east windows, he saw the footsteps of high heeled shoes on the layered dust that covered the floor. His smile was noticeable in his voice "I had made it clear: no one was to touch Pulgotti's defense." He slid off his shoes and began to follow the tracks "If she hadn't been so damn nosy, I wouldn't of hired _Rathborne_ _to kill_ her."

Kate's face froze. _He hired...?_ She couldn't believe it. Every hair on her body had risen, as the animal instinct of readiness for attack took over. She couldn't think, she couldn't breath, she couldn't stay put any longer. Since that night in early January, 1999, all she had wished for was to come face to face with this man. This man.

Kate gasped for air as in her mind arose the thought _I got him mom!_ Her mother's voice saying her favorite expression, _I told you so, Katie!_, replied. Flashes of all the efforts put into finding this man emerged. This man. She clenched her fists to fight the haunted visions of all the innocent people that had lost their lives because of him. It was this man's decision to tragically perpetuate the horrid scene of a knock on the door, the bearing of sad news, the minute afterwards where you still don't believe it. The minute you wish you could still live in. Afterwards would come the cruel minute in which you know your world will never be the same. _Ever_.

Castle felt a rush of pure hatred flood his body. _The SOB! _The tension was so great he almost hit his head under the table. He could only think of Kate, he could only breath her desire for justice, he couldn't stay put any longer. Since that night three years ago in the archive room, all he had wished for was to seek justice for Kate. My Kate.

Castle took a deep breath and looked around. He figured out a route that would lead him to where the man's voice had last come from. His mind creatively writing the scenes of how this would end. The most important scenes Castle had ever written. The classic duel told so many times was becoming his reality and, in this hour, he could think of no greater cause. Castle believed that in this hour, he would prevail. The courageous hour you wish you will live once in your lifetime. Afterwards would come the cruel hour in which you realize you have taken a life, and it will follow you. _Always._

_..._

_The Dragon continued his hazing. "Katie..., can I call you Katie? That's what your mother called you right?" He reached down to grab a part of a long rope that lay on the floor. He had seen that the footsteps leaded to behind a stack of crates. He needed to move fast. "In fact, Rathborne told me she called out for you..." he paused and laughingly added "you know, when she wasn't busy squealing and bleeding out..." _

That was too much for Kate's heart to bear. She lightly hit her forehead against the crates. Kate had said that she wanted Castle around when this time, the final confrontation with her personal devil, came, and she meant it. If it was him that fired the second set of rounds she needed to know. She called out, "Castle? You said you'd always have my back!" Enraged, she was set to emerge from behind the crates when a sudden movement to her right startled her.

The man had whipped the long rope, sending a curved motion in it to snap on the left side of the crates. He had hoped to create a distraction as he would contour the crates to his right. It had worked.

Castle was already on his way through the maze of crates and boxes when he heard Kate cry out for him. He had deeply hoped that she would be strong enough to resist the Dragon's taunts. She was risking it all. _Damn it, I hate re-writes! _He could not be late for this act.

Kate was expecting to hear some warning, footsteps, something. She heard the distant crack and turned to it. Then, she felt it. _He is behind me!_ As Kate turned around the first thing she noticed was the gun. Then she noticed the man. The second she laid eyes on him she wasn't Detective Kate Beckett anymore. It was the 19 year-old Katie, looking forward to skating next weekend with her mom that asked in a whisper "You...?"


	12. Chapter 12

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O'Quinn stood there smiling, contemplating the prize before him. She had certainly made this interesting by escaping, but his main focus was as it had always been: his power. "Nice to meet you Detective, uh, Beckett right?..." he repeated his own introduction of that night, long ago, when he had shook her hand. He wanted her to see her squirm. "Well, you got me to do the exercise my doctor ordered, but now it's time to stop and get to know eachother." He stepped closer "Tell me. Where are the files?"

Kate snapped out of her transe. _Files?_ She realized he wanted something. Kate had some unforeseen leverage and she had to make the most out of it. She needed to buy time. _Castle, where the hell are you? _Her stance changed, she ignored the pointed gun and focused on the suspect's eyes. She had to bring her A-game to the interrogation of her lifetime. "They all said I couldn't touch you." Her voice was deep and smokey "They _aaaall_ said I couldn't find you." She bit her lip and met his step forward. She nodded "Yet here we are..."

O'Quinn looked at her with amazement. "I have to admit, Katie..." He lowered his gun slightly and slid his hand across her right cheek "It will be a shame to kill you..."

Castle finally approached them. Kate's back was turned to him, and he saw O'Quinn touch her. He raised the gun. Between the position of the bodies and the darks shadows behind the crates, he couldn't get a clear shot. Holding the gun in a locked aimed he called out "Sorry to crash this special reunion party, but you've got my date at gunpoint and I _really_ want her back."

O'Quinn was agile and grabbed Kate's neck in a arm hold and twisted her around. She became a human shield between himself and the writer-guy's gun. He stood and pointed his gun at her chest. More annoyed than surprised he said "You are the writer-guy, right? You just can't seem to walk away from this one, hun?" When Kate struggled, his hold tightened, blocking her airways and sending a piercing pain to Kate's larynx that forced her to a coughing halt.

In a painful gasp, Kate answered him "It's Writer-MAN!" Old habits die hard, and three years of playing off each other in tense situations had proven to be successful.

Castle grinned. Her courage never ceased to amaze him. Time and time again, it never faltered. He continued strong "Yeaaah, I kind of have a thing for something I like to call misbehaving..." More seriously, he added, "You can't win here. A task force is on it's way as we speak." _Where the hell are you guys?_ "Now drop. The gun." As the words passed his lips, he felt the difference. _Natalie was right!_

"Task force? Oh, that's cute." his voice efficiently covered the shadow of doubt that was beginning to emerge. _I am in control of this. This guy won't risk me shooting her_. "We seem to be having a man of faith versus man of science dilemma, seeing that you have that belief that calvary is coming, and I know of that laws of cause and effect apply to bullet meets head." He paused and joked "You two seem to get yourselves into these kind on situations often, don't you?" he laughed "Let me guess, this how you two met?"

Castle didn't yield "For someone who knows so much about how Coonan died, you seem to be forgetting how that turned out for him..."

O'Quinn retaliated "For a boy-toy writer, you seem to lack the math skills to see that the death count is still in my favor..."

Kate let out an annoyed moan and rolled her eyes, "Are you boy's done, or do I have to get a ruler?" She unlocked her knees to mess with O'Quinn's balance "And it's writer-man. Writer-man!"

Castle pressed his lips and swallowed hard. He tried to read Kate's expression. She looked calm and there was even a hint of a demoniac smile on her face that sent chills down his back. "Put the gun. Down." he repeated, stepping in closer, gripping the gun with both his hands. He could not back down.

O'Quinn had to remain on the upper hand "Is this the first time you are holding a gun, Mr. Castle? Do you know how long it takes to fire one round in her and one in you? I figure by the time you recover from the shock of seeing the lights go out on Detective Barbie here, you'll have three bullets in your chest..." He paused "Tell me where the files are and I'll spare your life." O'Quinn tried to maintain his balance, but Kate's soft but sudden movements were unnerving. "You have a daughter don't you? Sweet young thing too... you wouldn't want her to grow up fatherless... like you did, right?"

Castle had seen this game play through already. He knew what O'Quinn wanted. _Two can play that game_ "I heard you're up for re-election." His voice changed as he mocked the campaign slogan "Terry O'Quinn, for the win, right?" his tone dropped for seriousness "Hard to win when you are in prison...or dead."

"Mr. Castle, my patience is running out. What will it be? The files and a chance of me sparing her life, or do you want to bet both your lives on a showdown?" O'Quinn's hand started to swerve.

"Shoot him Castle!" Kate screamed.

"The files are with the FBI! It's over." Castle admitted. He had kept his best poker face on for too long, he was hoping that O'Quinn might make a mistake. Anything that would allow him a clear shot. That sense of confidence left him when he saw O'Quinn's next move.

The blood drained from O'Quinn's face. Was the writer lying? It suddenly made sense. _How else would he have found the LaCerva connection so fast?_ But how did this escape his moles in the Burreau? _They must have used private phone lines! _

Kate kept her body loose but alert. It didn't last long. The second she felt it she tightened. _He has nothing left to lose. _As the barrel's end found rest on her temple, it made a dry sound. _This is it._ "Rick?" She didn't want there to be any fear in her voice, but there was. Her eyes were flooded.

"Kate don't..." Castle gasped as his grip on the gun became weak.

So many thoughts crossed her mind and fought their way to her mouth. If you knew that these would be your last words, what would **you** say? In a cracked voice, she continued "Promise me..."

"Say goodbye darling..." O'Quinn interrupted.

"Promise me!"

Castle set aim in hopeless despair. "What?" All he wanted to do was to close his eyes. O'Quinn was right. How could he ever live after seeing... flashlights?

"Put down the gun!"

"NYPD!"

"Drop it a$$hole!"

"Drop it now!"

"FBI!"

The warehouse was suddenly stormed with the armed agents, pointing their illuminated rifles at them and surrounding them. Esposito and Ryan, front and center, threateningly held their rifles up to O'Quinn's head. Esposito's face was the definition of rage.

The distraction allowed Kate to free herself from O'Quinn's hold. She stumbled towards Castle's risen hand, grabbed the gun and ruthlessly pointed it at the Dragon.

O'Quinn studied his options as the faces around him twisted violently as they yelled at him. To him, all was silent, all was set in slow motion. He could see everything, he could feel everything. It felt like centuries of being in sole command of his destiny. Years of building an empire, only for the sense of powerlessness to crumble it like stone walls, crashing all in it's path in a matter of seconds. The tiny lights from the rifles gnawed at him. At him!, who had withstood the bright lights of politics. "So what d'you know...?" he mumbled.

Kate struggled with the idea of putting a bullet in the man's face with all the fibers in her body. Her hand shook, the tears streamed down her face. She could do it. _No one would blame me_.

Castle's scared hand rested on her shoulder, he whispered "Kate, don't... don't give up on us...".

"Terry! You have options... put the gun down." Agent Jordan intervened. _A man like him will not go down quietly_, she profiled.

O'Quinn raised his head. He recognized that voice. "Jordan..." he smiled "you know I can't do that dear...

"Yes you can, Terry" she tried to come across as reassuring as possible, using his first name to create a connection between them. "It doesn't have to end like this."

He shrugged his shoulders. "What difference does it make **how** it ends, when you know it only ends once?" He stared directly into Kate's eyes and raised the gun to his head. He coldly told her "I did it for me." and pulled the trigger.


End file.
